New Zealand have a capable team, talented enough to match, but not powerful enough to regularly dominate, an Australian or Indian team. They need a special player to help nurture them.

The New Zealand team is currently in England, currently playing warm-up games, with games already played against the MCC, Kent and Essex.

Daniel Vettori and Brendon McCullum, the captain and vice captain of the team recently arrived in England, after playing in the Indian Premier League. The other three frontline players, Jacob Oram, Ross Taylor and Kyle Mills, also played in the IPL, have been in England with the rest of the team to finish their warm-up games.

They commence the Test Series against England, to run for three matches, at Lord’s on May 15. New Zealand are typically slow starters on tour, and the need to impress and sustain some momentum is crucial as the English are a far superior team on home soil.

But the New Zealanders are missing one crucial ingredient in their quest - a world-class player. I believe that the squad is capable, with solid batsmen, economical bowlers, and a world-class spinner in captain Daniel Vettori.

The most logical trade would be for Australia to have their highest-ranked non-Test player to ply his trade for New Zealand. This is a valid request. The relationship between the countries in sport is constant. Some would credit the emergence of Australian Rugby Union down to their constant fixtures against New Zealand's domestic and national teams.

Others would claim that the Kiwi’s evolution as a Rugby League power is due to their participation in the Australian NRL. The netballers now compete in a regular Trans-Tasman tournament, and the elite domestic soccer tournament – the A league, has a team from New Zealand participating in their competition.

Furthermore, Australia has an embarrassment of riches in cricketing talent. New Zealand does not, and it would benefit the might of the Baggy Green to have their closest geographic rival stronger for the inclusion of one of their players.

By the same token, we could also have a retired Test player compete in the New Zealand squad for a fairly comfortable “retirement package”, something to match the Indian Premier League salaries.

Not only would this benefit the Australians, it would naturally promote the New Zealand team. Naturally, they would become more competitive, especially considering that outside of Zimbabwe, they have a weak domestic structure that cannot compete with the likes of Australia, England or the sub-continental nations.

It would also profit the players in the Kiwi test team itself. The benefit of having the presence of a top-level player would be that the players around them would be stronger for it. If it was a non-Test, top-level player – Simon Katich, the forgotten son of Australian test cricket? – and the highest scoring state run scorer in 2007 would be a brilliant addition.

If it was a retired player, I think Justin Langer would serve an appropriate swansong as the new opener of the New Zealand cricket team. But, I think that one man would like the novelty of playing for his old foes, and would work well with the New Zealanders to strengthen the ability to his old Trans Tasman rival; Shane Warne. He would make a marvellous addition to the New Zealand Test team. And he has quite a handy record in England to assist the Kiwi’s to a solid Test series victory.

Warne could think of it as a pseudo Ashes series.....

http://www.sportingo.com/cricket/a8560_shane-warne-man-who-could-help-new-zealands-cricketers-hit-opponents-six

IPL 'incredible experience', has helped mend ties: Hayden

IPL 'incredible experience', has helped mend ties

After experiencing a fortnight of glitz and glory in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Australian cricketers say playing on the same side with Indian players has helped mend strained relations.

"It's been an incredible experience. It's been one that's broken down the cultural barriers that perhaps existed through the course of this summer but also, more than anything, it's been a hell of a lot of fun to play in," Australia's star batsman Matthew Hayden, who played for Chennai Super Kings, told reporters in Brisbane.

After a summer of discontent which led to souring of ties between players from the two sides, Hayden was not having the last laugh at Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh's suspension for slapping India team mate S. Sreesanth.

"I think it was a pretty disappointing thing. I just think we've all tried to move on from anything to do with taking a backward step in the way last summer went on," Hayden said.

Hayden was charged with a breach of the Cricket Australia Code of Behaviour for calling the controversial spinner "obnoxious little weed".

Earlier, Harbhajan was banned for three Tests after Australian players gave evidence that he called Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds a 'monkey' during the second Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground in early January. His charge was reduced on appeal.

As Australians switch to the Test mode, training at the Allan Border Field in Brisbane, Hayden said he needed to make "big adjustments" to be prepared for the West Indies tour that will have three Tests and five One-Day Internationals.

Besides Hayden, other Australians who played in the IPL include Ricky Ponting, Brett Lee, Nathan Bracken, Cameron White, Michael Hussey, Symonds and retired greats Glenn McGrath, Adam Gilchrist and spin wizard Shane Warne.

Australian opener Phil Jaques is also hoping to one day play for the glamorous competition. He told reporters: "I would have loved to be a part of it."

http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1162788

Pele, George Best, Stanley Matthews: What made them great?

It's easy to name the obvious - but harder when you look deeper into what the obvious consists of.
How do you define greatness in a footballer? We all know the so-called great names of the game, past and present, Pele, Stanley Matthews, George Best, Johan Cruyff, Maradona and latterly Gary Alexander of Leyton Orient (only joking), Thierry Henry and Kaka. Of course there are hundreds of others who would make any list which even rival fans would have to agree on. Unlike cricket, where greatness can be measured in stats (and I doubt any player will ever reach Don Bradman’s near 100 average in Tests) and aside from goalscorers, it’s hard to define greatness through the record books. I know our friends over the pond define everything by stats - you watch a baseball game on TV and you know how many hot dogs the pitcher ate in 10th grade. But if you want to define a great defender, for instance, it’s near impossible to do so by stats, so you are reliant on that old chestnut of opinion. I suppose you could argue that market forces can define greatness. If X is sold for X million then he must be a great player. I think it’s fair to say that high-profile transfers like Juan Sebastian Veron and Sergei Rebrov, to name but two of many, disprove this theory. Because football is such an easy game to follow (which is one reason why it is the greatest game on earth), it is easy for a fan to form an opinion. And it makes for great banter in the boozer. I do think, however, that before you can make a call on a player’s greatness, you have to see him live and not just on TV. The camera does not capture what a player does off the ball, which for me is one of the key issues of a player’s make-up, and you need the overall context of the entire pitch and the player’s contribution within it to form a judgement. With this in mind, here are my unscientific parameters for forming an opinion on what makes a great player. If the player matches these criteria, he can be chalked up. The question then is, which players actually do match the criteria? I am not naming names - you can easily fit any of your heroes into each category below. But that does not mean they pass the overall greatness test; to do so they would have to comfortably fit in each category. 1. Physical strength: A key element but more so in the English game which tends to be more "full-on" than, say, Spain and Italy.2. Speed: This attribute is by no means confined to strikers; overlapping full-backs come to mind. 3. Technical skill: Say no more.4. Intelligence: Yes, great players are highly intelligent, not in the academic sense but in an understanding-the-game sense. And in England, where the pace of the game is so quick, being able to literally think on one's feet is crucial. 5. Ability to hold the ball and distribute: This one is crucial. Any pub player, myself included, who has had a go up front will know how difficult it is to collect a pass, hold the ball with your back to goal and distribute while a participant from the Ultimate Fighting Championship is bearing down on you. 6. Ability with feet and head: Take a clipboard to a game and keep count of the minutes the ball is in the air. Heading is absolutely crucial. The player with magic in his boots who is also a superb header of the ball is a cut above the rest. Enter George Best. 7. Self-discipline: Some greats don’t make this category so lose out overall. It’s crucial because if a defender can psyche up a striker to make up for lack of talent, the result is an early shower. We know who these players are. 8. Outrageous talent: The defence-splitting pass, the creative decision within a mili-second; the sublime chip; making the unexpected happen. 9. The work ethic: Read Stanley Matthews’ autobiography The Way It Was (a must-read for all fans) you will understand how much work goes into becoming a great player. Yes, you may be blessed with talent but to get anywhere in life, you have to develop that talent. There are one or two greats who are not on my list because they do not fall into this category. 10. Being a team player: Football is a team game and although individual brilliance can turn a game, ability to fit in and work within a team's demands is a must. So, which players past and present fit into these categories? Or maybe you have some categories of your own to add or subtract.

http://www.sportingo.com/nostalgia/a3383_pele-george-best-stanley-matthews

Edwards, Rowley, Law, Best, Cantona, Ronaldo - how do you pick Man United's greatest team?
Lifelong Red Devils fan PHIL SMITH's Old Trafford memories go back to the Busby Babes and even earlier. For footballing icons and legends, look no further.
Apart from doodling on beermats, discussing the local talent, chucking a few aimless darts and trying to convince everybody daft enough to listen that today’s beer isn’t half as good as the stuff we used to drink as lads, you can guarantee that pub conversations will invariably switch to football before the night is out.Tickets for the match on Saturday? Who should be dropped? Who shouldn’t? Who are they going to sign next? When is the manager going? Then, when you think you’ve solved all the club’s problems, somebody comes up with: ”Eh, who would you have in your best team of all time?” Settle down for a lock-in!After reading the Sportingo article on Alan Sugar selling all his shares at Tottenham and the author’s idea of the club’s WORST team (to go alongside their worst chairman), I thought I’d attempt the impossible: Picking Manchester United’s greatest team of all time. Easy? Try it!Trouble is that since my childhood recollections of United during the World War II years when they played at Maine Road because of air-raid damage to Old Trafford, the goalposts have been moved a few times. It’s doubtful if any sport on earth has undergone such explosive change.Many will argue that some of the changes have not been for the better, but having witnessed the metamorphosis from 2-3-5 through 4-3-3 and 4-5-1 and 4-4-1-1 to 4-4-2, I have to say that the game today is faster and far more entertaining than it was in “the good old days".But how do you put players like Johnny Carey, Duncan Edwards, Paddy Crerand, Jack Rowley, Eric Cantona, George Best, Bobby Charlton and Cristiano Ronaldo into the same team under any particular playing system or formation?So I’ve gulped down a couple of Parecetamol and taken the easier option by picking three teams - starting with players from the 50s and 60s playing in the good old 2-3-5 formation. And I’m claiming a few substitutes - even though they were unheard of in those days. How about this line-up for starters?Harry Gregg; Johnny Carey, Roger Byrne; Duncan Edwards, Jackie Blanchflower, Nobby Stiles; Jimmy Delaney, Jack Rowley, Tommy Taylor, Stan Pearson, Charlie Mitten. Subs: Dennis Viollet, Bill Foulkes, Johnny Giles, Eddie Colman, David Pegg.Now I’m claiming a spot of journalistic licence here because I wanted to produce a team to suit 4-3-3 from United players in the late 60s, 70s and early 80s. And remember this was a period when the Old Trafford management merry-go-round was in full swing; Sir Matt Busby, Wilf McGuinness, Frank O”Farrell, Tommy Docherty, Dave Sexton and Ron Atkinson were all at the helm at one time or another.Anyway, how’s this for a 4-3-3 winner: Alex Stepney; Noel Cantwell, Gordon McQueen, Ian Ure, Tony Dunne; Paddy Crerand, Samy McIlroy, Martin Buchan; Bobby Charlton, Denis Law, George Best. Subs: Lou Macari, Willie Morgan, Brian Kidd, Stuart Pearson, Steve Coppell.If you think that was tough, try the Sir Alex Ferguson era from 1986 through to the present day. Old Trafford, by now, is a stadium fit for kings, and that crown-like Premiership trophy has made its home there for nine years out of the last 14. But what about the players who have become legends, icons, millionaires even?!Ferguson has shaped three great teams during his reign, and this is my very humble effort at trying to name but one in 4-4-2 formation:Peter Schmeichel; Gary Neville, Steve Bruce, Jaap Stam, Dennis Irwin; David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Roy Keane, Ryan Giggs; Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney. And how about a few subs: Eric Cantona (tough call against Ronaldo), Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Bryan Robson, Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke, Ruud Van Nistelrooy.

http://www.sportingo.com/football/a3645_edwards-rowley-law-best-cantona

Thirty years on, and Man United hero Lou Macari is still a student prince

The little Scot whose goal won the FA Cup for United in 1977 works in the media these days. And the pressure is a lot less than it was living in the shadow of Best, Law and Charlton.
The build-up to the 1977 FA Cup Final was one of the most intense ever. Liverpool were, at the time, aiming to win an unprecedented treble. Standing in their way were their fiercest of rivals, Manchester United. The game was evenly poised at a goal apiece when, in the 58th minute, United’s Jimmy Greenhoff battled for the ball with Tommy Smith. The loose ball fell to Lou Macari, who from ten yards hit a low shot which deflected off Greenhoff past Liverpool goalkeeper Ray Clemence and into the net. It turned out to be the winning goal and was the most important in Macari’s career. He returned to Manchester a hero and recalls: “Obviously, when people think of the luck we got in ‘77, they talk about the winning goal. But at the time I honestly believed I had hit the ball as cleanly as I could and that it had just sailed into the net.” Thirty years later Macari, now a presenter on MUTV, sits in front of a group of students at the University of Staffordshire. Relaxing in his chair, he looks around the room at the group of would-be sports journalists who are about to question him. He has given up his time to participate in a press conference about his career as a player and manager and to answer questions about his experiences in the media.
Born in Edinburgh, on June 4, 1949, Macari began his playing career at Celtic before moving to Manchester United, where he was on contract between 1973 and 1983. Small in build but skilful in the air, he scored 97 goals for United in 373 appearances. In 1984, he entered the world of management when he took charge of Swindon Town. His career then took him to West Ham, Birmingham, Stoke City (twice) and most recently Huddersfield, who he left in 2002. Since then he has been a regular pundit on Sky Sports as well as working for MUTV and, having spent time on either side of the press/player divide, he provides the students with valuable insights into the profession they wish to enter. The questions thrown at him are varied in subject, from the current proposals to scrap draws in the Football League to the problems currently facing West Ham. However, it is when reminiscing about his days as a player that Macari looks most at ease. Recalling training-ground anecdotes of George Best and talking about how journalists and players often shared a pint or five after matches, he says: “George was probably better than I had realised. Even in training you weren’t able to get the ball off him. For his size he was so strong on the ball that he would actually knock you over.” Asked who he thinks should replace Sir Alex Ferguson when he decides to bring an end to his distinguished career at Manchester United, Macari hesitates, seemingly assessing who the likely candidates are. After careful consideration he decides that Ferguson is irreplaceable, declaring: “I’m confident enough to say that whoever the next manager is, in the eyes of the public he will seem a bad choice. Whoever comes in isn’t going to equal what he [Ferguson] has done; they are onto a loser. I was going to say it would be a hard act to follow but actually it will be impossible.” Macari thinks that the best time to lead the club would be after the next manager has been and gone, as by then the shadow of Ferguson may have diminished slightly and expectations will be more manageable. Talking about the success of Ferguson and the difficulties his successor will face trigger memories of the similar situation Macari found himself in when he first arrived at Old Trafford. At that time the great side that had lifted the European Cup five years previous, was breaking up and Macari felt that he and the others who joined the club around that time faced an impossible task.“The unfortunate thing about any player joining when I did was that the crowd at Old Trafford had become used to watching George Best, Denis Law and Bobby Charlton,’’ he said. ‘’New recruits were bought in and I was one of them. There was unbelievable pressure on you to perform to their level. But no matter how hard you tried, you couldn’t.” As the conference finishes, Macari is asked to sign autographs by many of the students. Perhaps without the aid of that deflection 30 years ago, many of them would never have heard of him - but we all know that it’s by such fine margins that sporting heroes are made.

http://www.sportingo.com/football/a3711_thirty-years-man-united-hero

Bravehearts of the Kop: Liverpool's greatest Scottish XI

Anfield has been blessed with impressive contributions of many nationalities, but the impact of Scottish players and managerial staff is unequalled.
Liverpool FC have been blessed with the impressive contributions of many nationalities down the years, but the impact of Scottish players and managerial staff is arguably unequalled. Quite simply, without the Scottish influence, Liverpool would never have become the successful world-class club it is today. In fact, take away the Scottish inspiration from the club and Liverpool would, in all probability, be, err…Everton! And what could be worse than that?The Scottish influence on Liverpool began decades before proud Scot Bill Shankly revolutionised the club. In 1892, self-made Irish businessman John McKenna was appointed manager of the club and immediately drafted 13 Scottish professionals into the team. The impact was immediate. Liverpool won the Lancashire League in their first season, and were elected to the Football League Second Division for the 1893-94 season. Liverpool’s Scottish all-stars ended the season unbeaten as Second Division champions, and were promoted to the First Division, the highest level of English football at that time.
Over the years, more and more Scottish players arrived at Anfield, including the likes of club legend Billy Liddell, whom many people still believe is the greatest player to ever turn out for the club, Bill Dunlop, who won two league titles, Tommy Lawrence, who had over 300 games between the sticks and Willie Fagan, who played with Shankly at Preston North End prior to moving to Liverpool. Then, in 1959, the most important moment in Liverpool footballing history arrived when Shankly was appointed Liverpool manager. The impact Shankly had on shaping the philosophy and winning mentality of Liverpool cannot be overstated - he built the foundations upon which all of Liverpool's success in the second half of the 20th century was based. The Scottish players just kept on coming, with the likes defensive giant Ron Yeats, goal-scoring legend Ian St John, powerful striker Bobby Graham and ex-Rangers player Willie Stevenson becoming important components of Shankly's resurgent team, helping the club to win a plethora of trophies. After Bob Paisley took over at the helm the roll-call of Scottish greats continued with the arrival a triumvirate of true Liverpool legends, Kenny Dalglish, Alan Hansen and Graeme Souness, three players who were instrumental in Liverpool’s domestic and European domination of the 70s and 80s. During the exciting tenure of Dalglish, Hansen and Souness, Liverpool amassed an incredible 26 trophies, including nine league titles and three European Cups. No other period in Liverpool history was this successful, and it is doubtful if the same success will ever be replicated again, in England or indeed anywhere. Given the incomparable impact of Scottish players and managers on Liverpool’s outstanding success, it is perhaps ironic that the club’s decline at the came at the hands of Souness, one of its most inspirational figures. The rot was arguably already setting in under the stewardship of King Kenny, but Souness, with his poor signings (Paul Stewart?) and exclusion of quality players like Peter Beardsley, was instrumental in the club’s downward spiral at the beginning of the 1990s. Sadly, Scottish influence has waned at Anfield over the last 15 years, with only Gary McAllister and Dominic Matteo making a significant impact at Liverpool in recent years. This is a real shame given the fact Liverpool’s history is built on the shoulders of Scottish players and their grit, skill, determination and excellent leadership and motivational ability. Here is my all time Scottish XI: Tommy Lawrence; Steve Nicol, Alan Hansen, Ron Yeats, Bill Dunlop; Willie Stevenson, Graeme Souness (c), Peter Cormack, Billy Liddell; Kenny Dalglish, Ian St John. Subs: Bert Slater (GK), Willie Fagan, Gary McAllister, Donald McKinlay, Jimmy McDougall.Total appearances combined: 10,705: Total goals combined: 1396.

http://www.sportingo.com/nostalgia/a6028_bravehearts-kop-liverpools-greatest-scottish

Arsenal may have lost this Manchester United battle, but the war rages on

Arsene Wenger's young Gunners lost their heads during the title run-in, but this author thinks there's plenty to suggest they'll bounce back even stronger next time around.
Looking back on Arsenal's match with Manchester United on Sunday, it's hard not to have some sympathy. But once again, despite their excellent performance, the Gunners faltered. And the reason is that they lost their cool.
It was always going to be a tough job for Arsene Wenger to rebuild his entire team when veterans Thierry Henry, Robert Pires, Freddie Ljungberg, Patrick Vieira, Sol Campbell and Lauren all left the club. With little money to spend, he has been pretty much forced to give first-team places to a bunch of emerging youngsters from different parts of the world.
Despite the many comments to the contrary, Wenger proved that he is an ingenious craftsman. During the current Premier League campaign Arsenal have shone brilliantly to keep the sprits of their fans high.January's Africa Cup of Nations could not halt their early winning streak. However, injuries to players such as Robin Van Persie and Eduardo have played their part in adversely affecting the psychological composure of the players.
Lately, Arsenal’s frustrations have become all too obvious - even the usually-pragmatic Wenger has boiled over. They started to lose their grip with the 4-0 defeat at Old Trafford in the FA Cup. It was a serious psychological blow and the starting point for a succession of draws and defeats.
The only sign of a comeback was against Bolton when they showed they still have what it takes - even when playing with only ten men.
Arsenal could not keep up their form basically because of their desperation to win. With the pressure mounting from disgruntled fans, the Gunners' intensity has adversely affected their ability to play the free-flowing Football they are famous for.
It is almost like they have been trying too hard.
Such desperation to win will only trigger frustration - as evidenced by a recent explosion in the amount of yellow and red cards. On Sunday six yellow cards were shown to Arsenal players and just two to Man United.
This glut of bookings can be attributed to psychological frustrations emanating from their desperation to win. The Arsenal players should be trying to demonstrate their fighting spirit in a more relaxed way.
The memory of the great "Invincibles" team from 2003-04 will remain indelibly stamped in the mind of every Arsenal fan. And yet the present-day young Gunners look even more stylistic and spectacular at times.
What they are lacking is a brilliant striker in the Henry mould and a bit more strength in the defensive line. Arsenal could have comfortably won the match against United if Emmanuel Adebayor had only kept his cool in his one-on-one with Edwin Van der Sar. And they had the chances to score at least two more.
But as soon as they took the lead, the psychological tension kicked in. And when United equalised from the penalty spot there was only going to be one winner. The leveller only further triggered frustrations for Arsenal - as proved by a reckless kick from the usually-placid Aleksandr Hleb. Once again, the Gunners had lost their heads.
But they are still young - they will learn. This campaign has been captivating and, no matter what happens between now and the end of the season, Arsenal have made great strides. Next season they will only continue to close the gap on United and Chelsea.
They may have lost this battle but for me, the war is far from over.

http://www.sportingo.com/football/a8125_arsenal-may-have-lost-this-manchester-united-battle-but-war-rages